A total of 305 nomination papers received for 60 seats, CEO

Amidst tight security, on the last day of filing nomination papers for February 16 assembly elections, altogether 228 nomination papers were submitted by different candidates from different political parties including  heavyweight candidates like Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha along with other ruling BJP candidates and all Congress candidates including Birajit Sinha and Sudip Roy Barman etc.

Since Monday, different political parties including ruling and opposition with colorful rallies submitted their nomination papers in the offices of different Returning Officers (ROs) without any violence or any complaint registered by any political parties.

While, soon after submission of nomination papers, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Tripura Kiran Gitte addressing a press conference here at the conference hall of DM(West) office said that on the last of filing nomination papers , altogether 228 candidates filed their nomination papers and till January 27th, it was only 77 candidate. So, a total of 305 candidates submitted nomination papers for February 16 assembly polls for 60 seats.

He said that adequate measures including tight security  were taken across the state for hassle free nomination submission and so far the Election department did not receive any complaint or any report of any untoward incident issue submission of nomination papers.

Gitte said in the last assembly elections in 2018, altogether 297 candidates contested the polls and after scrutiny and withdrawal of nomination papers, the final figure for 2023 assembly election would be cleared and candidates can withdraw their nomination papers till 3 Pm of February 2nd.

A total of 25 observers have arrived in the state and they will oversee the entire scrutiny process of submitted nomination papers across the state, said Gitte and added that 8 police observers for eight districts had also arrived on Sunday and all of them were deployed in their respective districts to monitor the security scenario.

Gitte also said that three special observers after visiting Meghalaya have also arrived in the state including Yogendra Tripathy , Vivek Johri and  special observer B Murali Kumar and they will oversee the foolproof steps to conduct assembly polls in a free, fair and transparent manner. Gitte also said that party wise nomination status would also be cleared after the withdrawal process.